DAC Stage announces Its 2015-2016 Season

DAC Stage, the Darien Art
Center’s community theatre group, has announced its 2015-2016 season, featuring
four shows: two comedies, a musical and a drama, with two shows produced as
staged readings by local playwrights. The works will run in the DAC
Weatherstone Studio from October 2015 through April 2016. “We are very excited
to build on the momentum that DAC Stage has recently gained as a noteworthy
theatre group,” said Amy Allen, executive director. “There is something for
everyone in the upcoming season.”

The new season will begin
with two comedies, the first a one-night production of The Family, a comedy about children, parents and authority. At a
private school, the students of Mrs. Moritz’ 5th
grade class invent a disastrous new game that has the whole school wanting to
be part of ‘The Family’. This staged reading of the play by local playwright Rocco
Natale takes place on October 3 at 8:00 p.m.

The second comedy, The Nerd, by Larry Shue, opens for a
three-week run in November. It was
the top grossing American play in London's West End in 1986 and is based on the hilarious dilemma of a young
architect who is visited by a man he's never met but who saved his life in
Vietnam. The visitor turns out to be an incredibly inept, hopelessly stupid
"nerd" who outstays his welcome with a vengeance. The Nerd’s performances are on November
6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. and on November 8 and 15 at 2:00 p.m. Bob
Johnson directs it.

Shakespeare and
the Heart’s Desire, a drama,
is third in the DAC Stage lineup and is written by accomplished local
playwright Mary Jane Schaefer. This one-night staged reading will be directed by
Mark Graham on February 27 at 8:00 p.m. Shakespeare's fascination with the
beautiful youth of his sonnets is at the heart of this play that involves an
historical incident and its aftermath. Shakespeare's Company is entangled in a
treasonous act committed by the Earls of Southampton and Essex. At the play's
center is Shakespeare himself, explaining to himself, and to us, this crucial
event in his life.

Rounding out the season in the spring of 2016, is the delightful
Broadway hit, You’re a Good Man, Charlie
Brown with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner. Based on characters
created by Charles M. Shulz in his comic strip Peanuts, it won the 1999 Drama
Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, with Kristin Chenoweth winning
a Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Characters include Schroeder,
Lucy and Linus Van Pelt, Peppermint Patty, Sally and Charlie Brown, and of
course, Snoopy. Peter Green directs it with performances on April 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and
30 at 8:00 p.m. and April 17 and 24 at 2:00 p.m.